TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As Florida lawmakers gavel in the 2026 legislative session, Senate President Ben Albritton says he's entering the year optimistic. That's even as deep divisions persist between the Florida House, Senate and Gov. Ron DeSantis over property taxes, redistricting, and other high-stakes issues.
"I am energized, I'm excited, I’m optimistic. I feel good about my relationship with the Florida House, I feel good…" Albritton said in a recent sit-down interview with State Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders.
WATCH: Property tax reform 'doable,' but rural Florida must be protected: Albritton
Despite friction between chambers and lingering tension with the governor, Albritton says affordability remains his top priority this session, calling it a real and pressing issue for Floridians.
"I want to be clear we see and understand that affordability is not just a buzzword. It’s very real," Albritton said. "Government has a role, and one key role... One key role that government has in being involved in helping Floridians with the affordability challenges [is] with property tax reform. No question about it."
How to deliver that relief, however, remains unsettled. The House and governor have floated different ideas on property tax cuts, while Albritton says the Senate is trying to strike a balance that helps taxpayers without devastating rural communities that rely heavily on property tax revenue.
"What you’re suggesting is talking about rural Florida, it’s again, the distinction between rural Florida and urban Florida," Albritton said. "It’s very different if you’re tinkering with six or seven percent of the budget versus tinkering with 80% of the budget. Big difference. So yes, it's hard, do I think it’s doable? Absolutely."
Albritton says he believes lawmakers could reach a deal during session — but if not, he would rather take more time than rush a flawed plan.
Beyond property taxes, the Senate president is again pushing his Rural Renaissance proposal, which would expand health care access and infrastructure in rural parts of the state. The bill stalled in the House last year, but Albritton says the need remains urgent.
"In urban Florida, sometimes they have to make a decision on whether or not they choose the egg or the chicken. In rural Florida, they don't have either, and that's a fact," he said. "Get in a vehicle and drive through a fiscally constrained county one time… and it’s pretty easy to see that really is the motivating factor behind it, because what I believe is, is that rural Florida in many ways, have kind of been left behind."
On other major issues, Albritton says the Senate is still sorting out where it stands — including on universal E-Verify requirements for employers.
"You know, I don't know the answer to the question. I really don’t,” he said. “This week was much about pomp and circumstance… and then the next week, we're going to start digging in on these things. I'll start surveying the rest of the Senate…"
But on one issue, Albritton signaled little movement: a proposal to lower the minimum age to buy long guns from 21 to 18.
"It was a pretty substantial challenge or issue last year, and the Senate was clear… that that is not something they wanted to be a part of," he said. "I think the 21 to 18, if I had to summarize that today, I would say that the Senate has no appetite for it."
The Senate has already acted quickly on another front, passing legislation last week to add guardrails to Florida’s universal school voucher program after a state audit flagged millions in overspending and potential abuse. The fate of those changes in the House remains unclear.
"When you learn there's a challenge, or you learn something's wrong, we also need to be able to say, hey, we didn't see that one coming, and now we're going to lean in and fix that problem," Albritton said. "And sometimes up here, it ends up being Whack-a-Mole."
In the end, Albritton says his optimism heading into his final year as Senate president is rooted in faith — and in his belief that conflict can lead to better policy outcomes.
"You don't want rubber stamped ideas around you," he said. "Because if there's anything I've learned in politics, is that this state is very diverse… the value of that can be immense, immense. So, am I optimistic? You bet I am."
Whether that optimism is well-founded will become clearer as lawmakers return to Tallahassee Tuesday to continue the 2026 session and the hard policy fights begin.
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